Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded college students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS acquired experiences about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment to be able to get use of the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors on the obligatory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the non-public accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent are going to be paid out month to month to your accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not demand or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment to your lessor, or another person in connection with this agreement, which more info include payment of hire, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse against the lessee for any default from the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a result of an incorrect determination by NSFAS, the coed won't be answerable for payment here of any arrear rent for the accommodation provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding getting defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be liable for payment of rent into the lessor through the date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must more info immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties read more regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be nsfas allowances dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za